No revival plan from Mallya so far: Singh

The government on Thursday said Kingfisher Airlines has not yet given a revival plan to restart operations, even as employees are aggrieved over non-payment of salaries.

“All they have to do is satisfy DGCA (directorate general of civil aviation)that they can do safe operation and sustain operations. They have to give a plan — a financially viable plan. He (Vijay Mallya) has not given that so far,” civil aviation minister Ajit Singh told reporters outside Parliament.

Singh said non-payment of salaries has left the “highly trained” employees an aggrieved lot. Several employees have already left the company.

The employees, meanwhile, have threatened to disrupt IPL matches of the Royal Challenger Bangalore (RCB), the team owned by Mallya. Asked if the government can intervene in the matter, the minister said “the government has no role in this”.

The airline, whose license is under suspension after it failed to clear dues of employees and other stakeholders, has two years’ time to get its permit renewed and restart operations.

The Vijay Mallya-owned cash-strapped airline is grounded since October last year.